Merkel says hopes Eurogroup will reach agreement on Greece

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that she hopes Greece and its international lenders will be able to strike a compromise deal during euro zone finance ministers' talks on Thursday to allow the disbursement of further aid loans to Athens.

"Of course it's my wish that we'll see results at the Eurogroup meeting which would help to honour Greece's (reform) efforts, that further disbursements are also possible," Merkel said during a joint news conference with her Estonian counterpart Juri Ratas.

"But I cannot anticipate the result (of the meeting) now," the centre-right leader added.

Greece's international lenders are expected to agree to unblock as much as 8 billion euros in loans that Athens desperately needs to next month to pay its bills, but to leave the contentious issue of debt relief for later. 

[Reuters]